John D’Acquisto – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

John D’Acquisto made quite an impression on Major League Baseball during a wild, up-and-down decade-long career. He grew up in San Diego and had one of the most explosive fastballs of his generation. In 1974, radar guns clocked him at a blazing 102.4 mph.

From 1973 to 1982, D’Acquisto bounced between six teams. His story is full of promise, setbacks, and a stubborn kind of determination.

D’Acquisto hung up his cleats after the 1982 season, closing the book on a career that started with sky-high expectations. He snagged National League Rookie Pitcher of the Year honors in 1974.

His road to retirement wasn’t easy. Arm injuries, including a serious elbow surgery, knocked him off track early with the San Francisco Giants. Still, he managed 34 wins and 51 losses in 267 games, pitching for the Giants, Cardinals, Padres, Expos, Angels, and Athletics.

As a right-handed pitcher, D’Acquisto lived the highs and lows of professional baseball. He went from a first-round draft pick to battling injuries and constant team changes. His journey really shows what players go through when their bodies and the business of the sport collide.

After retiring, he coached high school baseball and made a few appearances in senior pro leagues. That kept him close to the game he loved, even after his big-league days ended.

Early Life and Amateur Baseball

John Francis D’Acquisto arrived on December 24, 1951, in San Diego’s Little Italy. His family loved baseball, and he found his athletic groove early at St. Augustine High School.

He shined on both the baseball field and the football field. That caught the eye of major league scouts pretty quickly.

San Diego Roots and Family Background

John grew up in the Little Italy section of San Diego. His parents, Fred and Frances, raised him with his older brother Fred Jr. and younger sister Jeannette.

Fred Sr. became a local legend in San Diego, working 51 years at Anthony’s Fish Grotto Restaurant downtown. He started as a teenager and worked his way up to dining room manager.

Baseball just ran in the family. John’s cousin, Lou Marone, pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1969 and 1970. That family connection helped spark John’s love for the game.

The D’Acquistos always stayed close to San Diego. Fred Jr. joined the Air Force, then came back to work for Pacific Southwest Airlines. Jeannette built a career in banking and never strayed far from home.

High School Baseball Achievements

At St. Augustine High School in North Park, D’Acquisto played linebacker under Coach Joe DiTomaso and picked up All-American honors as a senior.

His baseball coach, Bill Whitaker, was a local legend who worked for the City of San Diego Recreation Department for over six decades. Under Whitaker, John developed into a top-notch pitcher.

He threw three no-hitters in his senior year, which is just wild. One of those came in front of 50 scouts, including George Genovese from the San Francisco Giants.

Giants scout Joe Henderson kept tabs on D’Acquisto all season. Henderson got so excited that he called Genovese to see the kid pitch.

College offers poured in after those performances. The one that really stood out came from USC coach Rod Dedeaux, a future Hall of Famer.

Draft Selection by San Francisco Giants

As the 1970 draft got close, everyone knew D’Acquisto would go early. The San Diego Padres had the first pick after a rough expansion season.

D’Acquisto wanted the Padres to pick him. “The Padres were my first choice, obviously,” he said. But if they passed, he had a backup plan in mind.

He idolized Juan Marichal of the Giants and even wore number 27 in high school for him. “To get a chance to meet and play with him would be an honor, so if the Padres didn’t call, I hoped the Giants would,” he said.

The Padres went with Mike Ivie, a strong high school catcher from Georgia, as their top pick.

The San Francisco Giants took D’Acquisto with the 17th pick in the first round. His mom Frances helped negotiate, and soon he was off to Great Falls, Montana, to start his pro journey.

Major League Debut and Rise with the San Francisco Giants

D’Acquisto stepped onto a big-league mound for the first time on September 2, 1973, starting the second game of a doubleheader against Atlanta. His rookie year in 1974 turned heads—he won National League Rookie Pitcher of the Year and became known for a fastball that touched 102.4 mph.

Rookie Season Performance and Awards

In 1974, D’Acquisto put up a 12-14 record with a 3.77 ERA over 38 games. He started 36 times and logged 215 innings.

He struck out 167 batters, leading all Giants pitchers that year. Only Christy Mathewson, way back in 1901, had more strikeouts as a rookie in franchise history.

Sporting News named him National League Rookie Pitcher of the Year. Topps trading cards honored him as Major League Baseball Rookie Pitcher of the Year, too.

Manager Charlie Fox saw the talent but wanted more. “John has a major league fastball and curveball,” Fox said, “but to win at this level consistently you need a change-up.”

Notable Games and Milestones

D’Acquisto picked up his first big-league win on September 21, 1973, against his hometown Padres. He tossed a complete game four-hitter with 11 strikeouts at Candlestick Park.

He had a real moment on June 23, 1974, at Dodger Stadium. That day, he fired a fastball that hit 102.4 mph on the radar gun. It was the kind of heat that got people talking, drawing comparisons to Nolan Ryan.

Some highlights from 1974:

• First shutout on September 6 in Atlanta
• Nearly threw a no-hitter against Montreal (eight innings, one hit)
• 189-pitch complete game against Houston on September 15

He also threw his first professional no-hitter in 1973 with Phoenix in the Pacific Coast League. That May 16 gem against Tacoma was the first in Phoenix franchise history.

Teammates and Influences

D’Acquisto landed on a Giants team that still had some legends from the old days. He played alongside Willie Mays during his first taste of the majors in 1973, but Mays got traded to the Mets before D’Acquisto’s full rookie season.

His hero, Juan Marichal, was still around when John broke in. D’Acquisto had worn number 27 in high school because of Marichal, so that was pretty special.

“Juan Marichal of the Giants was my idol,” D’Acquisto said. “To get a chance to meet and play with him would be an honor.”

The pitching staff had some veterans who helped guide the rookie. D’Acquisto’s fastball put him in the same conversation as other power arms like Nolan Ryan.

Manager Charlie Fox gave him plenty of trust, naming him a likely rotation guy for 1974 even though he was just a rookie. The Giants clearly believed in his arm.

Career Challenges and Trades

D’Acquisto’s career hit some bumps. He struggled with control and injuries, which led to several trades. Teams moved him around as they tried to figure out where he fit best, especially after an elbow injury with the California Angels.

Elbow Injury and Surgery

Things took a turn after D’Acquisto signed with the California Angels in 1981. The team expected him to anchor their bullpen after a solid run with the Montreal Expos.

But the years of heavy pitching caught up to him. He hurt his elbow, needed surgery, and only managed six appearances in 1981.

His numbers weren’t great in those games—he posted a 10.71 ERA. The injury really marked the end of his major league effectiveness.

The Angels released him after spring training in 1982. He spent most of that season in the minors with the AAA Richmond Braves, but he couldn’t get back on track.

Trades to St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Padres

The Giants traded D’Acquisto to the St. Louis Cardinals before the 1977 season in a big multi-player deal. D’Acquisto, Mike Caldwell, and Dave Rader went to St. Louis.

The Giants got Willie Crawford, John Curtis, and Vic Harris in return. That trade kicked off D’Acquisto’s journey through several clubs.

He only pitched three games for the Cardinals before they dealt him again, this time to the San Diego Padres.

The Cardinals shipped D’Acquisto and Pat Scanlon to San Diego for Butch Metzger. Teams just couldn’t seem to figure out how to use the hard-throwing righty.

Between both teams in 1977, he went 1-2 with a 6.54 ERA in 20 games. His control issues stuck around, but he could still rack up strikeouts.

Later MLB Career and Teams

After his Giants years, D’Acquisto pitched for five more teams between 1977 and 1982. He spent the most time with the San Diego Padres, sticking around for parts of four seasons. Short stints with Montreal, California, and Oakland wrapped up his pro career.

San Diego Padres Years

D’Acquisto landed with the San Diego Padres in 1977 after a quick stop in St. Louis. Coming home meant a lot to him.

“Returning back to play for the Padres years later was special. It was like coming home,” D’Acquisto said about his hometown team.

He stayed with the Padres through 1980, making it his longest run with any team besides the Giants. In San Diego, he worked mostly as a relief pitcher and occasional spot starter.

Pitching in his hometown felt right. His dad Fred had spent decades at Anthony’s Fish Grotto Restaurant downtown, and John himself worked there as a teen.

Tenures with Montreal Expos and California Angels

D’Acquisto headed north to the Montreal Expos in 1980. That was his only stop in the National League East.

The next year, he signed on with the California Angels for the 1981 season. That brought him back to the American League and closer to home.

Both stints were short. D’Acquisto struggled to find his groove late in his career, working mostly out of the bullpen, like a lot of older starters did back then.

Final Season with Oakland Athletics

D’Acquisto wrapped up his major league career with the Oakland Athletics in 1982. That last season put him under Billy Martin, the famously aggressive manager.

“Billy Martin was an amusing man and a great manager,” D’Acquisto said later about his time with the A’s.

He pushed back against critics who blamed Martin for overusing pitchers. D’Acquisto pointed out that Martin didn’t trust the bullpen much, so starters ended up pitching more innings than you see nowadays.

Oakland marked the end of his 10-year major league run, which took him through six different teams. After retiring, he played in the Senior Professional Baseball Association in Florida in the late 1980s.

Pitching Style, Notable Statistics, and Legacy

People knew D’Acquisto for his powerful fastball, which sometimes drew comparisons to Nolan Ryan. He spent a decade in the majors and played for six teams, finishing with a 34-51 record and some highlights, like winning National League Rookie Pitcher of the Year.

Fastball Velocity and Comparisons

In the 1970s, D’Acquisto threw one of the fastest fastballs around. His heater hit the mid-90s pretty regularly, which was rare for that era.

Scouts and analysts liked to compare his fastball to Nolan Ryan’s for sheer speed. Both guys could just blow hitters away with their velocity.

D’Acquisto, a righty, leaned hard on his fastball but mixed in a curveball and slider, too. He focused more on power than finesse. When he could spot his fastball in the zone, he was at his best.

Key Career Stats and Achievements

Over 267 games in his 10-year career, D’Acquisto put up a 34-51 record with a 4.56 ERA. He struck out 464 batters in 609.1 innings.

His best season was 1974, when he won National League Rookie Pitcher of the Year. That year, he went 12-14 with a 3.77 ERA for the San Francisco Giants. It really marked the high point of his career.

He pitched for six MLB teams:

• San Francisco Giants (1973-1976)
• St. Louis Cardinals (1977)
• San Diego Padres (1977-1980)
• Montreal Expos (1980)
• California Angels (1981)
• Oakland Athletics (1982)

He finished up in 1982 with Oakland under Billy Martin.

Retirement, Personal Life, and Post-Baseball Career

After he retired from baseball in 1982, John D’Acquisto moved into investment banking. Later, he ran into legal trouble and eventually settled in Phoenix.

He kept a connection to baseball through coaching and getting involved in his community. Building a new life outside of the sport, he found ways to stay busy.

Investment Banking and Legal Troubles

Once he left baseball, D’Acquisto jumped into the financial world and became an investment banker. Switching from sports to finance was a pretty big leap.

His post-baseball life wasn’t exactly smooth. Legal problems complicated his transition out of pro sports, making that period tough as he tried to find his footing in a new field.

He had to figure out how to handle life after playing professionally. A lot of retired athletes struggle with identity and purpose once they leave the game, and D’Acquisto definitely felt some of those same challenges.

Education and Later Work

After those legal troubles, D’Acquisto worked to rebuild his life and career. He put energy into learning new skills and finding opportunities outside of baseball.

Shifting from the routine of pro sports to the business world wasn’t easy. He had to adapt to new expectations and learn on the fly.

He also wrote about his baseball days. D’Acquisto contributed articles to different publications, sharing stories from his playing career. Those writings offered a glimpse into his life as a pro athlete.

Life in Phoenix and Community Involvement

D’Acquisto eventually settled down in Phoenix. He kept finding ways to stay close to baseball, the sport that shaped so much of his life.

In Phoenix, he jumped into youth baseball coaching. D’Acquisto took on the role of pitching coach for Eastlake High School.

He really made a difference there, helping the team snag three district championships.

He didn’t stop playing either. D’Acquisto joined the Senior Professional Baseball Association, which let him stick with competitive baseball even after leaving the MLB.

He’s got three kids—Vanessa, Danica, and John Paul. There are three grandkids in the mix too.

Family life turned into a big focus for him during those post-baseball years in Phoenix.